I have seen this problem so many times, after a cleanup of spyware, some spyware programs can jack up the registry causing a bluescreen or there is a rootkit with a driver removed causes a bluescreen. so then a repair install is attempted. 8 times out of 10, the repair install does not work, it may or may not complete, sometimes claiming files are missing during the repair install. other times it goes through flawlessly, then when windows starts it says Windows must be activated. Here the user accepts the activation, yet it never comes up, all you see is a desktop background. ctrl+alt+del, alt-f4, etc do not work. because the system is locked out of those options until windows is activated. Usually the first sign of this outcome is the last part of the windows install where it says please wait, and the hard drive loops activity at a steady rate, yet nothing ever happens. You can alt-f4 this part, then you only have an arrow. the only way to get around this is rebooting. then you are left were we left off, windows needs activation yet activation will not start. again, you can access the system in non-networking safe mode. but nothing else. The last time this has happened to me the spyware was brought on a clients computer in the form of something called "Wind Optimizer" among other things like a rogue "safety center" disguised like a Microsoft program. it looks really close to microsoft security center. Always with the malware...
This has become a very common problem due to the versions of windows (service pack level) and media player versus what comes on the cd even if it is a sp3 xp cd this can happen.
1. Turn On your PC
2. Press F8 repeatedly and go to Safe Mode
3. Logon as per normal
(note: Administrator password is usually blank, but hopefully you know your password)
4. Allow the Desktop to fully load (answering "Yes" to continue into Safe Mode)
(note: This is just a long way of saying go to Safe Mode)
5. Click on Start - Run
6. Type in exactly: rundll32.exe syssetup,SetupOobeBnk (and click OK)
(note: one space, after "rundll32.exe " also the Oo are two letter o's in "oobe"; capitals and comma are important)
7. Wait a couple of seconds (although you will Not see any change)
8. Restart your PC normally (Start - Shutdown - Restart - Ok)
9. You are now able to go to Normal Mode again (For another 30 days !!!)
10. Install IE8, do not pass go do not install ie7, install ie8. that should solve not being able to browse and not being able to activate somehow it's tied to the broken ie. Let me know if this works. Now do whatever you like, you're back to Normal.
(if you have an ie8 installer package install ie8 in safe mode, as you cannot get online until your period has been reset or activated this is the best way)
(note also windows update does not function properly after you reset the key until ie8 is installed due to ie/oobe being jacked up)
